The invention refers to a dual control thermostatic mixer, which includes a thermostatic regulator for stabilizing the temperature of the water outlet with a stability mechanism and a switch device between both water outlets (Spout and Handset).
Usually a thermostatic mixer is built by a body that confines a mixing chamber, fed by a hot water entrance supply plus a cold water entrance supply, a mixed-water exit channel with a predefined temperature as well as a temperature adjusting device for both hot and cold water supplies in order to obtain a water exit flow at the referred controlled temperature. This temperature adjusting device embraces a thermostatic element sensitive to the water temperature inside the mixing chamber and controls the inlet flow from both hot an cold water supplies in order to adjust the water outlet at the desired temperature. Besides this, when this thermostatic mixer is meant to be used as a bath mixer, i.e., having two outlets, for instance, one for the bath and another one for the shower, it incorporates a switching device (shift-valve) that can be used to switch from a direct water outlet to the bath or to the shower handset.
The purpose of the invention is to offer a dual control thermostatic mixer that, besides having the ability to work as a classic thermostatic mixer can also offer the inclusion of a switching device without being necessary to use an alternate and independent switch-valve, that, as far as the inventor""s knowledge of building techniques, simply does not exist at the present date. The invention presents just this in a practicable way.
In order to meet this target a dual control thermostatic mixer was designed and built to control not only the outlet water temperature but also the place from where the water comes out, which consists in a body with a shutter, a regulator and a switch-valve, that make all above functions possible.
The dual control thermostatic mixer allows a rigorous control of both cold and hot water inlet flows so that it is possible to have on one of the two outlets a constant temperature no matter how much cold or hot water is flowing. Using this mixed-water system prevents a temperature-shock, i.e., having a high-temperature or low temperature on the outlet. The thermostatic valve, according to the invention, can be used with a range of pressures from 100 g/cm2 to 100 Kg/cm2 and with unbalanced water pressure between the entrance of cold and hot water supply of 9.9 Kg/cm2.
The mixed water temperature is achieved through the thermostatic element and a stabilizing mechanism of the element itself, being the thermostatic element tuned from factory tuned from 36xc2x0 C. to 42xc2x0 C., preferably at about 35xc2x0 C. It is also possible to change the thermostatic element""s tuning from 20xc2x0 C. to 55xc2x0 C., nevertheless it is factory tuned for a 36xc2x0 C. to 42xc2x0 C. range, this being done by a manual regulating mechanism.
One of the most important aspects of the way the mixer was developed according to the invention, is the simple fact that if either hot or cold water supplies fail or are shut down, the thermostatic element automatically cuts off water supply avoiding the flow of just hot or just cold water to the user.
Switch between water exits is done through the use of a handle that works within a reprieved mechanism, which opens a collar ring or chamber that connects to the spout leading the water displacement either through the spout or through the handset.
The above mentioned handle spins angularly and causes the displacement of the shift-valve along the main axis of the shifting set, causing the water mixing chamber to become in contact with the chamber that communicates with the handset exit, closing the chamber of the spout exit or vice-versa. The angular rotation movement of the handle is preferably of 90xc2x0.
Fine-tuning of the temperature of the water upon exit is done through a knob located on top of the switch-valve handle. As mentioned before, this tuning can go above or down of the factory preset temperature.
One of the purposes of the invention is the possibility of regulating the temperature of the mixed-water, keeping it constant and at the same time flowing through the handset or the spout.